Arewa Group Accuses Buhari Of Political Witch-Hunt
Buhari
A NASCENT socio-political group, the Arewa Youth for Progress and Development yesterday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of going out of its way to witch-hunt political opponents in the polity.
The group’s President, Danjuma Sarki, noted that it was unfortunate that anyone who holds contrary position to that of the ruling All progressive congress (APC) had been subjected to intimidation and harassment with the use of coercive apparatus of power.
Urging the Buhari led administration to retrace its steps in the interest of democratic rule, the group claimed that it is becoming obvious that the nation is gradually drifting towards dictatorship and anarchy.
It noted: “We categorically and unequivocally condemn these acts in their entirety. These have apparently shown that the administration of President Buhari and the ruling party are on a vendetta mission of witch-hunt, molestation, blackmail and persecution of the opposition or any dissenting voice.
“Our organisation has viewed with great concern, the spate of unwarranted witch-hunt, bully and harassment of political opponents under the guise of the fight against corruption by the Buhari administration, using the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Service (DSS).
It is quite unfortunate, worrisome and sad that since the advent of the current government, its stock-in-trade has been the intimidation and harassment of members of the opposition and anyone who holds contrary opinion to that of the government or the ruling party.
The organisation noted that “The recent invitation and subsequent detention of high Chief Raymond Dokpesi, His Excellency, Alh. Attahiru Bafarawa, former Governor of Sokoto State, Alh. Bashir Yuguda, the former Minister for Finance and others are clear cases of witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation; growing level of impunity; abuse of the rule of law and gross violation of human right which are becoming very alarming and call for great concern by all patriotic, civil society organizations, the media and the international community.”
It said: “We categorically and unequivocally condemn these acts in their entirety, these have apparently shown that the administration of President Buhari and the ruling party are on a vendetta mission of witch-hunt, molestation, blackmail and persecution of the opposition or any dissenting voice.”
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18 Comments
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What are you expecting from a party of devil incarnates portray themselves as saints
I don’t understand political witch hunt, those accused are all politicians, there figures and how money meant for the security of the nation were allegedly diverted, as for me I will wait until the accused were prove innocent before I pass any judgement.
The point is that corruption has been a way of life in the countries polity and parastatals and the polity includes members from both parties,so why is that it is only members of PDP that are been brought to book and as soon as a PDP member decamps to APC he has turned a new leaf,that is the point,Fashola Spent 78m of state funds to built a website and was made a minister,this are the problems we are talking about,not fighting corruption in its entirety.
Call it political witchhunt or whatever, are the people in question guilty as charged? Please let the courts decide and stop whipping up unnecessary sentiments. Wonder what has become of our youths these days, they seem to lack any sense of propriety, cant decipher good from bad, they give a public show of their warped sense of value. Enough is enough, all corrupt leaders must be brought to book. We ain’t seen nothing yet. Watch out for more.
I agree with you , but , let the dragnet be spread wider to rope in those hiding behind the APC and Buhari to escape probe .
Thanks a million Mr Zarki ! That’s the argument. We are all in support of fighting corruption in Nigeria. But not on selective terms. No ppartialities, no double standards, even when it concerns those constituting the present kitchen cabinet. Otherwise the accusation of witch hunting would be difficult to deny.
I beg to disagree with you. No member of the kitchen cabinet , as presently constituted, participated in PDP- led central government and so could not have had hands in NNPC and Arms-deal that are presently under investigation.
Mr Papaosun, sorry you completely misunderstood my post. The logic is that, whoever has misappropriated Nigeria’s resources, even if they are in the present kitchen cabinet should be prosecuted as well. Mr Papaosun, are you rather implying that it was only in the NNPC and the arms deal that there were misappropriation of funds? Please let’s be open minded in dealing with issues of Nigerian corruption and not be parochial.
Let those mentioned now also mention others involved, be they in PDP, APC, LP, SDP etc. if they are mentioned and are not arrested immediately, then you can come up with the allegations of witch hunting, vendetta and what have you.
At least, the crusade must start from somewhere.
For me, I do not care who is invited or who is not invited.
My concern is, let the guilty be brought to book.
If not for anything else, this administration isn’t just arresting them, but allowing them to defend themselves in courts of law.
If we keep on being sentimental on which party the person invited comes from, there is no way we will make a head way in this country as far as fighting corruption is concerned.
Come to think of it, why should the president’s anti-corruption campaign start with members of his party? Were they the ones fingered in the spending spree that went on unabated during the immediate past administration, or were they the ones in power for SIXTEEN (16) donkey years in this country?
I think the complaint of the writer of the piece above is grossly misplaced.
Thank you for bothering yourself replying these young sympathisers of corrupt bigots. Someone is trying to use them to whip sentiments. They did not bother to ask themselves ‘ why?’ You can begin to imagine the type of future Arewa Consultative Forum we’ll be having, their orientations, integrity and intentions. Did they bother to tell themselves that Buhari inherited a Federal Government earlier managed by the so called opposition PDP? How on earth do they expect Buhari to ask the APC
members who never participated in the looting of the nations resources, at least at the federal level, to account for the loots?
Like I earlier said, some affected looters are behind the write-up of the ‘youths’. They have forgotten that what goes around also come around. Justice will catch up with them by God’s grace.
But , what about those who decamped to APC during and after the elections. Does it mean they get to keep their loots? Or perhaps they get automatic cleansing once they join the APC. At least a couple of former state govs come to mind.
Obj was PDP till 2015,ditto amaechi,kwankwaso was former defence minister ,ngige,audu ogbe who was former PDP chairman, ottorm was a minister under PDP,same with senator udoma,elrufai was a former minister under PDP.the list is endless
That group was set up by politicians who had dipped their hand into public tilt for propaganda purposes. The sponsors want it to look as though the north are not in support of the war against corruption as being prosecuted by the president. They are wasting their energies and resources. The train is in motion and a million of such group cannot stop it. Initially, they were saying that PMB was only talking without action on anti corruption crusade, now that anti graft agencies are working, they are crying wolf where there is none. They should save their tears for the courts will determine their innocence or otherwise.
Fashola N70+mil building website sham n other things for eg ,has not bn probed..He is Buhari’s minister today… Buhari will fall for sure…
It says ‘Nascent’. Classic hallmark of another hurriedly formed group by political jobbers. Nigeria’s only chance is getting rid of all or at least substantial level of corruption. Removing Ribadu was a terrible mistake. The current drive should be sustained and not truncated otherwise we’ll go into a relapse that’s worse than post Ribadu.
Please these people should go and sleep and allow our president to fight corruption in peace. Witch hunt ko wizard hunt ni! Nigerians funny, everyone shouting change but now they complaining.
We will review and take appropriate action.